Hockey Day in Canada hits Thunder Bay

Its Hockey Day in Canada and Thunder Bay is taking part in the festivities.  The National Hockey Leagues Players Association with the support of our local NHL players is donating 120 sets of hockey equipment to 11 minor hockey clubs in the area.  NHLPA Spokespeople say the equipment worth over 60 thousand dollars will allow a number of kids who wouldn't normally get a chance to play hockey, to lace em up.  The festivities kicked off yesterday with a banquet in Murrilo. 

Marriott eyes Thunder Bay

Looks like a  new hotel is coming to Thunder Bay.   City planner Robert Eady says Marriott Hotels wants to buy about 1.6 hectares of land next to the Superstore to build 142 Marriott Town Place suites.   Total project cost is about 18 million dollars.  The land is also expected to include a Harvey's Restaurant along with an Earls or a Milestone Restaurant and a convenience store.

Daredevils ski the city streets

Here's a video of some local skiiers turning Thunder Bay's Streets into a freestyle course.  The video has been making waves on Twitter and could be on the verge of going viral. 

Population drop doesn't faze Brown

Atikokan's Mayor Dennis Brown is putting on his best face in the wake of a census report showing a 15 per cent drop in the towns population. Brown however, sees a positive trend developing as more young people are returning.   Brown adds,  the population can fluctuate with mining activity in the region.

Harvey talks population

No panic from Nipigon's Mayor Richard Harvey over census figures showing the community's  population dropped about 7 per cent.   Harvey says the figures don't take into account some recent factors that indicate more people are moving into the town.

L-U trumpets another research grant

It's research and innovation week at Lakehead University. To kick it off, a Government of Canada science grant of nearly 1 and a half million dollars was given to professor Ellie Prepas for her natural resources study. Prepas says she feels proud working with some of the best young minds in the country on the project which will be funded for five years.

Mauro on ORNGE

Members of Ontario's Opposition Parties continue to dog the Government over it's handling of the Province's air ambulance service. Some members of the Opposition have suggested the Government should allow private companies to operate the service. MPP Bill Mauro disagrees. The Province recently put a not-for-profit air ambulance coordinator in place after firing former CEO Chris Mazza.

OPP survey

How do you feel about the level of policing in your community?  That's the question the OPP is trying to answer.  Sergeant Shelley Garr says they have hired a consultant to conduct a Community Satisfaction Survey.  Garr says the telephone survey is confidential and will be used to help develop OPP business plans for each of the detachments in Northwestern Ontario.

Di Matteo talks population

A Lakehead University professor is not surprised Northwestern Ontario has less people than it did 5-years ago. Livo Di Matteo says its a reflection of the state of the region's forest industry. Di Matteo says while urban communities lost people, several First Nations communities experienced growth.

Rickford on Aboriginal education

The Federal Government is promising to take a good look at a report on Aboriginal Education.  The Federally appointed panel released its final report earlier this week.  Parliamentary Assistant for Aboriginal Affairs, Greg Rickford says they've already committed a lot of money towards improving the aboriginal education system.  The National Aboriginal Education Panel visited a number of communities across the country last year, including Rat Portage.

MP begins budget town halls tonight

MP Bruce Hyer is going on the road. He'll be hosting a series of town hall meetings to give taxpayers a chance to discuss what they'd like to see in the federal budget. Tonight it's Thunder Bay. It takes place at the Prince Arthur Hotel starting at 7:30.   The town halls will also be held in Marathon, Nipigon, Greenstone and Terrace Bay. 

Police nab suspect in Shoreline Stabbing

A 22 year old man is being charged in Wednesday's stabbing in front of the Shoreline Hotel. Constable Julie Tilbury says they picked the man up yesterday when they were called to a south side home about an assault. Tilbury says he's charged with assault with a weapon and breach of probation.

Petro Can Gas Bar Robbery

Police are releasing pictures of the man who robbed the Petro Can Gas Bar on Dawson Road Wednesday morning. Constable Julie Tilbury says the man had his hood pulled up to hide his face. He approached the till and pulled a syringe out of his pocket and demanded money. He's described as being in his early 20's with a medium build. He was wearing a two tone grey winter jacket with a hood, blue jeans and white runners.

Water Rate debate rages

City Councillor Larry Hebert is echoing many residents thoughts on the escalating water rates.  Hebert says they've asked administration to consider a lower rate for this year.  Some Councillors would like to see a 3.4 percent increase rather than a 6.7 percent one.  A report with the lower water rate will come back to council in the future.  Meanwhile Councillor Rebecca Johnson says one way or another the rate will go up, putting it off will just cost the city more money in the long run because the difference will have to be debentured. Johnson says it might be better to just take the hit now.

Murder trial to hear from last crown witness

The prosecution is about to wrap up its case in the Andre Wareham murder trial.  The crown says it will be calling it's last witness on Monday. Wareham is facing a second degree murder charged in the stabbing death in 2009 of William Atkins. Wareham is pleading self defense. In a police video played at the trial Wareham is heard telling an officer shortly after he was charged, that just before his arrest, he was getting his life together saying he stopped drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and marijuana. He also says he was throwing himself into his two jobs. He said " I wanted to re-invent Andre Wareham."

Raid nets Oxys

Police efforts continue to stem the flow of illegal prescription drugs in the city.   A raid at a south side city hotel on Wednesday netted police about 32 thousand dollars worth of Oxycodone.  Police say they also seized a small amount of Cocaine and almost 12 thousand dollars in cash.   They say a 22 year old woman and 38 year old man were arrested and charged.

Rafferty bids gun registry farewell

Thunder Bay MP John Rafferty is happy to see the long gun registry debate come to an end.  The final vote for the controversial bill is expected to come to a close on Wednesday.  Rafferty says there are so many other issues the Federal Government should be focusing on instead of the gun registry.  Rafferty says he hasn't had any further blow back from his party over his recent voting on the gun registry.

Census data for Kenora

New census data shows the population of Kenora fell below the national growth rate over the last five years. Statistics Canada released the first batch of numbers from the 2011 census this morning and the population of Kenora increased to about 15 thousand, 348 people.  Vincent Dale is an analyst with Stats Can and says the city's growth rate was below both the national and provincial average.  Stats Can says Kenora's population grew by 171 people in the past five years.

Rickford on gun registry vote

A bill to scrap the federal long gun registry is speeding its way through the House of Commons. Earlier this week the Harper Government decided to limit debate on the bill. Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford expects the bill could pass third and final reading as early as next Wednesday.

Mauro on Toronto's endorsement of LRT

Thunder Bay MPP Bill Mauro calls Toronto's transit plans a moving target.  Mauro is happy to hear the City recently endorsed the light rail transit plan.  The Provincial Government's money for the project is tied to Toronto Council's endorsement of the transit plan.  Our Bombardier Plant is in line to build the light rail vehicles.